Strengthening the special relationship between Vietnam and Hungary

President Luong Cuong shakes hands with Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas before starting the talks - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

The Hungarian President's visit comes as the two countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations . General Secretary To Lam described the relationship between the two nations as "special" when meeting the Hungarian leader on May 28.

Nuclear power specialist training

During the meetings between senior Vietnamese leaders and Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas on May 28, the Vietnamese side mentioned Budapest’s sincere assistance and support in the past as well as during the period of national construction and development. This is the foundation for the two countries to continue to strengthen their increasingly substantive and effective relations.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs , at the meeting on May 28, President Luong Cuong and Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas reiterated that education and training is a traditional field of cooperation between the two countries.

It is known that thousands of officials, many of whom currently hold important positions in the Vietnamese state apparatus and economy, were trained in Hungary in the past.

Currently, Hungary still grants 200 scholarships to Vietnamese students each year. This is not only a bridge of friendship, connecting the people of the two countries, but is also expected to contribute to serving Vietnam's national development goals.

The Hungarian President affirmed that his country is ready to cooperate in training in areas that Vietnam has high demand for, such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information and communication technology, environment, and agriculture.

The two sides agreed to promote effective cooperation in traditional areas such as defense - security, science - technology, agriculture, medicine - pharmacy, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange, while promoting the expansion of cooperation in new areas such as digital transformation, information technology, environment and water resources management.

Receiving President Sulyok Tamas, General Secretary To Lam asked Hungary to help Vietnam train nuclear power experts in the context that our country has restarted nuclear power. It is known that Hungary is a country with decades of experience operating Russian-technology nuclear power plants.

Hungarian officials previously affirmed their readiness to help Vietnam train human resources to operate nuclear power plants, considering this a new area of strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Hungary interested in Asia

With a long history of traditional friendship, many expect that the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Hungary will continue to develop more substantially in the coming time. This is completely grounded when the economy continues to be a bright spot in the relationship between the two countries with two-way trade turnover reaching nearly 1 billion USD in 2024.

Cooperation in other fields such as education - training, environment, culture, tourism, defense - security, people-to-people exchange... continues to achieve good results.

The two sides agreed to strengthen investment cooperation in Hungary's strong fields such as information technology, energy, agriculture, food industry, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, etc. to serve as a bridge for Hungary to enter the ASEAN market and for Vietnam to enter the EU market, including the Central and Eastern European region.

According to observers, it is necessary to put the Hungarian President's visit to Vietnam in a larger context.

Budapest has been increasingly interested in Asia recently, as evidenced by the fact that before his visit to Vietnam, the Hungarian President visited Japan - where he discussed everything from economic cooperation to trade, investment and other international issues.

For Vietnam, the visit is a testament to Hanoi’s sincerity and loyalty to its traditional friends. And like Hungary, in the context of an uncertain world, Vietnam has sought out traditional friendly countries for mutually beneficial cooperation, serving its domestic development goals.

Writing on his official personal page on May 28, Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas emphasized that Vietnam is an important partner for Hungary, whether it is political, scientific, cultural, technological or economic relations.

"Mutual respect and sharing have been the deep roots of this reality. The past decades have proven that there is a great cooperation between us," Mr. Tamas said.

The future of Central-Eastern European and Vietnam relations

When the Central and Eastern European Business Association (CEEC) in Vietnam was established in 2015, Vietnam was opening up to the world. We saw a unique opportunity to connect Central and Eastern European businesses with Asia - one of the most dynamic economic regions in the world.

This year, as CEEC celebrates its 10th anniversary, many member states are also marking 75 years of diplomatic relations with Vietnam, including Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria.

Trade growth

Over the past decade, bilateral trade between CEEC and Vietnam has grown significantly, currently reaching around US$10 billion, with Vietnam maintaining a trade surplus.

Vietnam’s main exports to the CEEC region include electronics, textiles and footwear. Meanwhile, Central and Eastern European countries mainly export machinery, pharmaceuticals and high-tech equipment to Vietnam. Vietnamese businesses also highly value the quality and reliability of products from Central and Eastern Europe.

Total investment from Central and Eastern European countries in Vietnam has now also nearly reached the 3 billion USD mark.

Countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have been springboards for generations of Vietnamese entrepreneurs since the 1980s. When they return home, they bring not only capital but also unique insights into both Eastern and Western business environments.

This cultural and commercial bridge opens up many practical opportunities. The Vietnamese community can help CEEC businesses better understand the Vietnamese market, the language, as well as local cultural values.

Both sides also share a common business spirit: valuing relationships, long-term orientation and hard work. These similarities are the foundation for deeper and more sustainable cooperation between the two regions.

Hungarian companies have long been present in Vietnam and are actively supporting the digital transformation of the pharmaceutical industry. Romanian and Slovak companies are active in the energy sector, contributing to Vietnam’s transition to renewable energy.

CEEC has also supported Czech businesses, such as the expansion of the Škoda car brand in Vietnam.

CEEC Expectations

Above all, the Vietnamese Government has created a fairly friendly environment for foreign investors. I believe that the current business environment continues to support and facilitate the success of Central and Eastern European businesses.

In that cooperation, we are now facing global changes, such as the US tariff policy. This poses many challenges but at the same time opens new doors.

However, some common obstacles that CEEC businesses often encounter include legal barriers and delays in licensing, as well as inconsistent standards enforcement across localities.

To address the above issues, CEEC will continue to promote administrative reform, suggesting that it may consider implementing a one-stop digital administrative platform to simplify procedures.

Vietnam should not be seen as just a low-cost manufacturing location. It is a strategic hub where Europe’s innovation can connect with ASEAN’s dynamic workforce. This combination is valuable and increasingly important in a changing global context.

Ultimately, the future of the Vietnam-CEEC relationship lies not just in trade or investment figures, but also in building a common growth ecosystem.

We also call on more businesses from Central and Eastern Europe to come to Vietnam to experience the vibrant culture here and to explore the opportunities and prospects in this market.

Mr. MARKO MORI (Chairman of CEEC) - Recorded by NGHI VU

Tuoitre.vn

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tang-cuong-quan-he-dac-biet-viet-nam-hungary-20250529075541783.htm